Rotary shaft mounting



Much 12,1968 I w PERRY 7 3,372,604

ROTARY SHAFT MOUNT I NG Filed June 28, 1966 dzzama United States Patent i 3,372,604 ROTARY SHAFT MOUNTING Waiter J. Perry, Brookfield, Wis. (1315 S. 124th St., West Allis, Wis. 53214) Filed J1me 28, 1966, Ser. No. 561,169 9 Claims. (Cl. 74-421) This invention relates generally to a mounting for a rotary shaft and more particularly to an improved mounting for a power rotated shaft.

In some installations it is desirable that a rotatable shaft be readily removable from its mounting for one reason or another. For example, Patent 3,196,867 issued on July 27, 1965 discloses a massaging and scrubbing appliance having a plurality of rotary brushes that are journalled in a frame and rotated by a source of power. It is highly desirable that these brushes be readily removable from the frame for cleaning purposes or for changing the brushes in the assembly.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved mounting for a rotary shaft in which the removal and replacement of the shaft with respect to its support is greatly facilitated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary shaft mounted in which a power rotated shaft can be removed and replaced manually without the use of any tools.

Another object is to provide an improved antifriction bearing mounting for a rotary shaft.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotary shaft mounting from which the shaft may be removed manually by a simple manipulation of the shaft.

A further object is to provide a rotary shaft mounting of simple and inexpensive but sturdy construction which is very efficient in operation.

According to this invention the improved rotary shaft mounting comprises a driving unit mounted in a frame and having a driving connection to one end of the shaft to couple the shaft to the driving unit for rotating it. Such drive connection may be a key and keyway or a squared end on the shaft in engagement with a square hole in the driving unit. In either case the end of the shaft is in sliding engagement with a driving member and may be disengaged therefrom by simply moving the shaft axially so that its driven end slides out of engagement with the driving member.

The opposite end of the shaft is provided with an axial recess for receiving a portion of a ball that is also engaged in a cooperating recess formed in a plunger which is slidably disposed in a bore formed in the frame. A spring within the bore urges the plunger out of the bore to retain its recess in engagement with the ball, and the latter, in turn, is in engagement with the recess in the end of the shaft. The ball therefore, rotatably supports the shaft with a minimum of resistance to rotation and retains the shaft in accurate alignment. In order to remove the shaft from its mounting it is only necessary to force the shaft axially against the force applied by the spring to disengage the coupling to the driving member. After the drive connection has been thus disengaged, the shaft may be tilted away from the frame and lifted out of the bore that contains its opposite end.

3,372,604 Patented Mar. 12, 1968 ice The foregoing and other objects of the invention, which will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, may be achieved by means of the apparatus described in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a massaging appliance having power operated rotary brushes that are mounted in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the driving motor being omitted from the view;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the massaging appliance depicted in FlGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail view substantially in vertical section showing the improved mounting of the present invention rotatably supporting one of the brushes in the massaging appliance illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the individual parts of the mounting in the order of their assembly.

Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings and specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof which illustrate a body massaging and scrubbing appliance in which the present invention is incorporated. The massaging and scrubbing appliance illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is fully described in Patent 3,196,867 issued on July 27, 1965. It comprises generally a frame 10 that rotatably supports four rotary elongated brushes 11 in a parallel relationship With respect to each other. The frame 10 includes a top plate 12 on which is mounted an electric motor 15 having an output shaft (not shown) connected to a drive 16 which, in turn, is operatively connected to rotate a vertical shaft 17.

The vertical shaft 17 is keyed to rotate a pinion 18 which is part of a gear train generally identified by the reference numeral 20.

The several gears of the gear train 20 are disposed within suitable recesses 27 that are formed in a plate 28. The recesses retain the several gears in operating position in meshing engagement with each other and they are covered by the top plate 12 which overlies the plate 28. The gear train 20 includes a pinion 21 in meshing engagement with the pinion 18. The latter is in meshing engagement with a gear 22 which, in turn, is in meshing engagement with another gear 23. Thus, rotation of the vertical shaft 17 by the motor 13 causes rotation of the gears 22 and 23 in opposite directions.

Since the pinion 21 is in meshing engagement with the pinion 18, it likewise will be rotated by rotation of the vertical shaft 17 and it is in meshing engagement with a gear .25. The latter is in meshing engagement with another gear 26 so that the gears 25 and 26 are also rotated in opposite directions relative to each other. Each of the gears 22, 23, 25 and 26 is coupled to one of the four brushes 11 for driving its associated brush in a rotary movement to effect a massaging action or a scrubbing action on parts of the human body, such as the back.

As best seen in FEGS. 3 and 4, each of the brushes 11 comprises a shaft 30 having bristles 31 extending radially therefrom. The upper extremity of the shaft 39 is provided with a squared end 32 for insertion into a square hole 33 formed in each of the gears 22, 23, 25 and 26. Such reception of the squared end 32 of the shaft 39 in q") the square hole 33 of the associated gear produces a driving connection so that rotation of the gear will produce a corresponding rotation of its associated brush 11. The driving connection between the gears and their associated brushes 11, of course, may be otherwise constructed, such as by means of a key and keyway arrangement, but the connection must be such so that the shaft 30 is slidable axially relative to its cooperating gear to disengage the connection between the gear and the brush 11.

The opposite end of each of the brushes 11 is rotatably supported in a bottom plate 34 of the frame 10. All of the brushes are supported in the plate 34 in identical manner so that the following description will refer to only one of the brushes 11 but it will apply to all four. The rotary mounting of the brushes 11 in the plate 34 is especially adapted to render the brushes easily removable from the frame for cleaning or replacement purposes. To remove any one of the brushes from the frame 10 it is only necessary to move the brush axially toward the plate 34 against the pressure of a spring to slide the squared end 32 of the shaft out of engagement with the square hole 33 in the cooperating gear. When the squared end 32 has been thus disengaged, it is only necessary to tilt the top of the brush 11 outwardly to clear the frame 10 and then lift it out of the plate 34.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the brush 11 that is driven by the gear 23, The end portion of the shaft 30 opposite its squared end 32 is of reduced diameter and is provided with an axial end recess 38 for receiving a portion of a ball 40. The ball 40 is retained in the recess 38 by a cylindrical cap 41 that is provided with an axial opening 42 which is large enough to permit a portion of the ball 49 to extend therethrough but small enough to prevent the ball 40 from passing through the hole. The portion of the ball 40 that extends beyond the cap 41, through its hole 42, is in engagement with a circular recess 43 formed in a plunger 45.

The plunger 45 is slidably disposed within a bore 46 that extends partially through the plate 34 as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3. A compression spring 47 is located in the bore 46 with one end bearing against the bottom of the bore 46 and the other end bearing against the plunger 45 for continuously urging the plunger 45 out of the bore 46. Such action serves to retain the plunger 45 in engagement with the ball 40 and continually urges the shaft 30 axially in a direction to retain its squared end 32 in engagement with the square hole 33 of the gear 23.

It is therefore apparent that the rotary support of the shaft 39 in the plate 34 is by means of the ball 40 to reduce the friction to a minimum so that the shaft 30 is freely rotatable relative to the frame 10. However, despite this anti-friction bearing mounting of the shaft 30, it is readily removable from the frame 10. Its removal may be simply accomplished by grasping the brush 11 and applying an axial pressure to compress the spring 47. This forces the end 35 of the shaft 30 and its associated cap 41 into the bore 46 to clear the opposite squared end 32 of the shaft 30 from the square hole 33 in the gear 23. The upper portion of the brush 11 may then be tilted outwardly to clear the frame 10 and the brush 11 then lifted out of the bore 46. Although the brush 11 will be removed from the bore 46, the ball 40 will remain assembled to the shaft 30 of the brush 11 by reason of the cylindrical cap 41. This arrangement prevents loss of the ball 40 and retains it accurately positioned for subsequent assembly in the frame 10. In the absence of the cylindrical cap 41, the ball 40 would be free to roll out of the recess 43 and be apt to be lost when the brush 11 is removed from the frame. The retention of the ball 40 to the shaft 30 by the cap 41 prevents inadvertent loss of the ball and facilitates subsequent assembly.

Although it is not essential that the parts be fabricated of a particular material it is found that for quiet and efficient operation the formation of the shaft 30, the cylindrical cap 41 and the plunger 45 of plastic, with the ball 40 being of metal produces an ideal combination.

From the foregoing detailed decription of the construction and operation of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention it will become apparent that a new and improved rotary shaft mounting structure has been provided in which the shaft is supported for rotary movement of an antifriction bearing to reduce the friction resisting rotation to a minimum with the shaft 'being readily removable from the mounting in a matter of moments by a manual manipulation of the shaft.

Although the illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been described 'm considerable detail for the purpose of making a full disclosure of a practical operative arrangement by means of which the invention may be practiced, it is to be understood that various novel features of the invention may "be incorporated in other arrangements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

The principles of the invention having now been fully explained in connection with the foregoing description of the illustrative embodiments the invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In a mounting. for rotatably supporting a shaft in a frame; actuating means coupled to a first end of the shaft for actuating the shaft in its rotary movement, the shaft being slidable relative to said actuating means for shifting the shaft out of engagement therewith; a bearing rotatably supporting the second end of said shaft; and yieldable means urging the shaft axially to retain the first end of the shaft in engagement with said actuating means, said shaft being movable axially against the force of said yieldable means to move the first end of the shaft out of engagement with said actuating means and render its second end disengageable from said bearing for removing the shaft from the frame.

2. A mounting according to claim 1 wherein the frame includes a bore for receiving and rotatably supporting the second end of the shaft, and said yieldable means comprises a spring disposed in said bore and acting against the second end of the shaft with the shaft being movable axially into the bore against the force of the spring to disengage the first end of the shaft from said actuating means so that the shaft may be tilted away from the frame and then moved axially to withdraw the second end of the shaft out of the bore for removing the shaft from the frame.

3. A mounting according to claim 2, including a plunger slidably retained in the bore, said spring acting against said plunger with the force applied by said spring being transmitted through said plunger to said shaft for yieldably retaining the first end of the shaft in engagement with said actuating means.

4. A mounting according to claim 3, including a ball between the second end of the shaft and said plunger to support the shaft for rotation relative to said plunger.

5. A mounting according to claim 4 wherein the second end of the shaft is provided with an axial recess at its end for receiving a portion of said ball and said plunger is provided with an axial recess for receiving a portion of said ball so that the ball is engaged within the two recesses and separates the second end of the shaft from said plunger.

6. A mounting according to claim 4; including retaining means on the second end of the shaft for retaining said ball in axial alignment with the shaft.

7. A mounting according to claim 6; wherein said retaining means comprises a cylindrical cap having a closed end with an opening of a diameter smaller than the diameter of said ball but large enough to permit a portion of the ball to extend through it into engagement with said plunger, said cap being secured over the second end of the shaft to retain said ball in engagement with the second end of the shaft.

8. A mounting according to claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a motor; a gear driven by said motor and the first end of the shaft is coupled to said gear for rotation with it while being slidable relative to said gear for disengagement therewith.

9. A mounting according to claim 8 wherein said gear is provided with a square hole and the first end of the shaft is squared for reception in the square hole of said gear for efiecting a driving connection between said gear and the shaft, the squared end of the shaft being slidable out of the cooperating square holed for disengaging the shaft from said gear.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 821,699 5/1906 Broomall 308230 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 697,055 11/1964 Canada. 264,367 1/1927 Great Britain.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. LEONARD H. GERIN, Examiner. 

1. IN A MOUNTING FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING A SHAFT IN A FRAME; ACTUATING MEANS COUPLED TO A FIRST END OF THE SHAFT FOR ACTUATING THE SHAFT IN ITS ROTARY MOVEMENT, THE SHAFT BEING SLIDABLE RELATIVE TO SAID ACTUATING MEANS FOR SHIFTING THE SHAFT OUT OF ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH; A BEARING ROTATABLY SUPPORTING THE SECOND END OF SAID SHAFT; AND YIELDABLE MEANS URGING THE SHAFT AXIALLY TO RETAIN THE FIRST END OF THE SHAFT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ACTUATING MEANS, SAID SHAFT BEING MOVABLE AXIALLY AGAINST THE FORCE OF SAID YIELDABLE MEANS TO MOVE THE FIRST END OF THE SHAFT OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ACTUATING MEANS AND RENDER ITS SECOND END DISENGAGEABLE FROM SAID BEARING FOR REMOVING THE SHAFT FROM THE FRAME. 